Leadframe for an encapsulated optocomponent

ABSTRACT

In encapsulating an optocomponent, a leadframe is used for the electrical connection of the component, the leadframe having a flag, to which the main body of the optocomponent is attached. The flag is located asymmetrically at an outer edge of the leadframe and is, in the encapsulating operation, placed close to a sidewall in a mold cavity in a mold. In this way, an optical interface of standard type can be obtained in the wall of the capsule. Further, the flag is flexibly attached, by zigzag-shaped bridges, to other portions of the leadframe so that the flag and thus the optocomponent will have a possibility to be resiliently and flexibly displaced a little at the positioning thereof in the mold cavity in the mold in relation to the other portions of the leadframe, in particular to its outer frame portions and bridge portions. By designing the zigzag-shaped bridges with a suitably adapted width and thickness a controlled elastic restoring force acting on the flag can be obtained and thus on the optocomponent so that it can be pressed and firmly retained in engagement with a positioning device for the optocomponent.

This application is a divisional, of application Ser. No. No.08/817,421, filed Jun. 30, 1997 it is now U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,229, whichis a 371 of PCT/SE 95/01234, filed Oct. 19,1995

This application is related to simultaneously filed applications“Injection of encapsulating material on an optocomponent” and“Optocomponent capsule having an optical interface”.

The present invention relates to a leadframe intended and adapted forencapsulation of optocomponents with a plastics material and a method ofencapsulating optocomponents with a plastics material, duringsimultaneous obtainment of optical interfaces in the capsule wall.

BACKGROUND

In the earlier patent application SE 9400907-3, filed Mar. 18 1994, amethod of encapsulating optocomponents by means of transfer moulding andof obtaining at the same time an optical interface in the wall of thecapsule is described. This method is developed from the conventionalencapsulating method for microelectronic circuits, where an electricallyconducting leadframe is used for establishing an electric connection tomicroelectronic circuit chips. The leadframe usually consists of apunched or etched metal piece, e.g. of a thin copper or aluminium sheet.The leadframe comprises a special, suitably adapted portion termed“flag”, onto which a microelectronic circuit is mounted before beingmoulded into the encapsulating material. Before the moulding embedment,the microcircuit chip is also electrically connected by frictionwelding, “bonding”, by means of “bonding” wires to fingers and therebyalso to legs of the leadframe.

Moreover, in encapsulation of optocomponents an optical interface is tobe formed in the wall of the capsule having a high accuracy as to theposition of the component in relation to another optocomponent or anoptical connector device, to which the encapsulated component is to beconnected. The required mechanical accuracy is achieved by mounting oneor more optocomponents on a common carrier or substrate in the shape ofa plate, which thereafter is attached to the flag. Finally the carrieris positioned in relation to the external geometry. For an opticalinterface, which is compatible with an optical multi-fiber contact ofMT-device type, this is achieved by means of V-grooves on the carrierplate, in which guide pins extending through the mould cavity fit. Theseguide pins are pulled out after the encapsulation and then leavecircular cylindrical holes in the encapsulation material. Into theseholes, loose cylindrical guide pins are then inserted, at connection ofthe encapsulated optocomponent to a component having a similarinterface.

The published European patent application EP-A1 0 452 634 discloses aleadframe intended for encapsulation of optical modules with a plasticsmaterial having several waveguides. In FIGS. 4-7 leadframes having flagsintended for electronic circuit elements are shown, where portions ofbridges between flag portions and a frame part extending at the edge arezigzag shaped in order to accommodate mechanical strains, which arecaused by the plastics encapsulation. The zigzag shaped portions arelocated outside of the area the leadframe, which is contained inside theencapsulated module and which is shown by the dashed line P.

The published European patent application EP-A1 0 552 419 describesapparatus and a method for manufacturing optical modules by plasticsencapsulation of amongst others optocomponents connected to a leadframe. In FIG. 6c it is shown how an optocomponent, using a wire W, isinfluenced by a pressing force for the purpose of obtaining an exactpositioning.

Leadframes for semiconductor capsules are e.g. disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. US-A 4,870,474 and 5,150,193 and in the published European patentapplication EP-A1 0 443 508. Optical components having leadframes arealso discribed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,786 and the published Europeanpatent application EP-A2 0 446 410.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the invention to provide a lead frame for mounting acarrier having one or more optocomponents next to a side wall of acapsule.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a leadframe forelectrical connection of a carrier having one or more optocomponents,which leadframe allows that the carrier can be oriented for an accuratepositioning during the moulding embedment of the carrier.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an encapsulatedoptical component and a manufacturing process thereof, in which acarrier attached to a leadframe becomes accurately positioned during theencapsulation process.

These and other advantageous objects are achieved by the invention andappear from description hereinafter, the scope of the invention beingdefined in and the characteristics thereof being set out in the appendedclaims.

A leadframe is designed, so that:

I) a flag, to which the very main portion of the optocomponent isattached, is placed asymmetrically next to the mould cavity wall, sothat an optical interface is obtained in the capsule wall,

II) the flag is flexibly attached in the leadframe for the purposes of:

a) obtaining an adjustment possibility of the flag in relation to therest of the leadframe,

b) obtaining an adjusted pressure force on the flag, and thereby on theoptocomponent, in relation the mould cavity wall in order to minimizeafter-treatment of the optical interface,

c) obtaining an adjusted pressure force on the flag, and thereby on theoptocomponent, so that an exact positioning of the optocomponent can beobtained. Bridges by means of which the flag is attached to theleadframe have for this purpose a zigzag shape.

Hence, a leadframe having a flag, to which very main part of theoptocomponent is attached, is thus used for the electrical connection inencapsulation of an optocomponent. The leadframe also comprisesconnection portions for electrical connection to both the optocomponentand to the exterior, to adjacent electrical circuits. The flag isasymmetrically placed at the outer edge of the leadframe, centrally onthis outer edge, and will then be placed next to a wall in a mouldcavity in a mould during the encapsulating process. Hereby, an opticalinterface of standard type having guide pins can be obtained in thecapsule wall. The flag is attached somewhat movably by means of zigzagshaped bridges to the other portions of the leadframe in order to enablethe flag and hereby the optocomponent to be moved somewhat in relationto the rest of the leadframe. For a suitable width and shape of thezigzag shaped bridge portions an adjusted elastic return force on theflag and thereby an the optocomponent is also obtained, so that it canbe pressed against and firmly be retained against positioning means, inthe shape of for instance guide pins, which shall be located in guidegrooves of the optocomponent during the moulding operation.

A leadframe of an electrically conducting material for connection ofelectrical connections on an optocomponent generally comprises a flag inthe shape of a usually rectangular field for attachment to a main partof the optocomponent, further it comprises connection fingers, the endsof which are intended to be electrically connected, in particularthrough bonding, to terminals on the optocomponent, and support parts,which extend between the connection fingers and connect to these atareas at a distance from the ends of the connection fingers, which areintended for connection to the component. Further, there are supportbridges, which connect the flag to the support parts and which arelocated in such a place, that the support bridges connect to the supportparts at an end thereof. Moreover, the flag shall be located at a sideof the frame in order that an optocomponent attached to the flag and anedge thereof shall become positioned at the outer edge of a capsulecontaining the component.

The support bridges have advantageously the shape of flat bands, whichthus are located in one and the same plane and are zigzag shaped, i.e.each of the bands is alternatingly bent to one side and another side, asseen when moving from the connection area of the bridge at a supportpart to the connection area at the flag, in order to allow an elasticretainment of the flag and in order to give this some movementpossibility. The ends of the connection fingers, which are intended forconnection to the component, can be placed next to an essentiallystraight side or a edge of the flag, preferably an edge, which isopposite to the edge of the flag, which during positioning of anoptocomponent at an outer side of a capsule, is located next to thisouter side. The support parts then advantageously extend essentiallyperpendicularly to this essentially straight edge of the flag.

An encapsulated optoelectric component obtained together with theleadframe then generally comprises an optocomponent carrier having areasarranged thereon for electrical connection, an optical interface at oneside or edge thereof having inlets/outlets for light signals or havingwaveguide ends, further leadframe parts, which have been obtained fromthe leadframe for electrical connection of areas on the optocomponentcarrier and which comprise outer connection tongues, and moreover anencapsulating enclosure enclosing the main part of the optocomponentcarrier and of the leadframe. The leadframe parts also comprise a flag,which is attached to a main part of the optocomponent and which islocated at a side or a surface of the component or of its main part, andfurther the leadframe parts comprise terminal parts, which areelectrically connected through wires to terminals on the optocomponentcarrier. The leadframe parts in the encapsulated component willaccording to the above advantageously comprise zigzag shaped parts, thatextend from the flag.

In manufacturing such an encapsulated optocomponent the following stepsare generally carried out. The optocomponent is first manufacturedhaving guide grooves for guide pins on a first, top surface. Then, it isattached to a flag in a leadframe, guide pins are placed in an openedmould cavity in a mould and the leadframe having an attachedoptocomponent is placed in the opened mould cavity of the mould, so thatthe guide pins engage in the guide grooves, where the two latter stepscan change positions with each other. Thereupon the mould cavity of themould is closed and then the arrangement of the leadframe with theoptocomponent in relation to guide pins is such that the guide pins andthe optocomponent hereby become correctly positioned in relation to eachother and the leadframe is retained in the mould cavity, whereby anelastic force originating from the leadframe is applied to theoptocomponent, so that this with its guide grooves is pressed onto theguide pins and the optocomponent is accurately guided into its intendedposition. Finally, the encapsulation material is introduced into theclosed mould cavity and is allowed to solidify, the mould cavity isopened, the guide pins can be extracted and the moulded body can beremoved from the mould cavity. The elastic force from the leadframe,acting on the flag is suitably obtained, by the fact that the flag isattached to the other part of the leadframe through bridge parts havingsuch a geometric shape, that they can be elastically or resilientlyprolonged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of a non-limiting embodimentwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lower mould for manufacturing anencapsulated optocomponent,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an upper mould intended to be usedtogether with the mould of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a view from above of the lower mould according to FIG. 1having a leadframe and an optocomponent placed therein,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the lower and the upper moulds of FIGS. 1and 2, placed above each other,

FIG. 5 is a view from above of a leadframe for electric connection of anoptocomponent,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an optocapsule manufactured by means ofthe moulds of FIGS. 1 and 2,

FIGS. 7a-7 c are partial sectional views illustrating the profile ofsupport grooves for support pins.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1 a lower mould half 1 is shown having a mould cavity 3. Thelower mould 1 has generally the shape of a rectangular block having sidesurfaces and a bottom surface, where the mould cavity 3 also has arectangular shape and is formed in one of the large surfaces, the topsurface of the lower mould 1, so that the edges and the various surfacesof the mould 1 and the mould cavity 3 are all essentially parallel to orperpendicular to each other. The mould cavity 3 has steps at three ofits side surfaces in order to also be able to receive a leadframe 51 ofthe type, which is shown in FIG. 5 and also in FIG. 3, where the lowermould half 1 is seen from above with a leadframe 51 and an optocomponentplate 5 placed therein.

The leadframe 51 has a generally flat shape and is manufactured of athin electrically conducting plate such as copper plate or aluminumplate and can be cut out by punching or etching or similar methods. Itcomprises a flag 53 in the shape of a rectangular area which can be awhole surface or in certain cases, not shown, can be equipped with acentrally located hole. To the flag 53 the optocomponent plate 5 isapplied, e.g. is cemented by means of a heat conducting adhesive. If theflag has a hole, this can be used for, for instance, thermal dissipationfrom the component plate. The leadframe 51 has a generally rectangularouter contour comprising outer edges, where the flag is centrallylocated at one of the outer edges, the front edge. Connection fingers 55extend from that edge of the flag 53, which is directed towards thecentre of the leadframe and away from the mentioned front edge of theleadframe 51, and up to contact legs 57.

The contact legs 57 are in the embodiment shown placed perpendicularlyto the two edges of the outer contour of the leadframe 51, which havethe outer edge located between them, where the flag 53 is placed. Thelegs 51 are mutually connected by inner bridges 59, which extend inparallel to and at a distance from said opposite edges, and by outerbridges or plate, which next to and parallel to two of its oppositeedges has guide grooves 9, which e.g. can have a triangular shape, asseen in a cross-section, such as a section having the shape of anisosceles triangle, which extends from one of the large side surfaces ofthe component plate 5 and has a top angle of e.g. 45°-60°. The guidegrooves are intended for positioning the optical component plate 5 andfor this, they are to be placed in engagement with the guide pins 7, sothat these will be well pressed into the guide grooves 9.

For the guide pins 7 there are grooves 13 on the edge surface of the topmarginal surface of the lower mould half 1, which extend from the outerside surface of this mould half and pass into the mould cavity 3. On thebottom of the mould cavity 3 in the lower mould half 3, there aresupports 77, which protrude upwards and have guide grooves 79, which arelocated in the extension of the grooves 13 on the marginal surface ofthe mould half and form inner supports for the guide pins 7, when theseare inserted into the mould. The supports 77 are arranged adjacent tothe. inner edge of an optical component plate 5, compare FIG. 3, whenthis is placed inside the mould cavity 3 next to one of its sides, sothat the guide pins 7 extends freely over the whole component plate 5between the supports in the grooves 13 of the lower mould part 1 and theguide grooves 79 on the supports 77 and only over short distancestherebetween and in addition thereto.

The upper mould half 17, see the perspective view of FIG. 2, is alsoconfigured as a rectangular block having side surfaces and a topsurface, a rectangular mould cavity 19 being formed in a bottom surfaceand having side surfaces and bottom surfaces parallel to andperpendicular to the exterior surfaces and edges of the upper mould half17. Grooves 21 for the guide legs 7 are provided on the lower marginalsurface surrounding the mould cavity 19, and extend from one sidesurface of the upper mould half 17 in to the mould cavity 19. In thisupper mould cavity there are also protruding supports 81 having supportgrooves 82, which in the same manner as in the lower mould halfconstitute an extension of the guide grooves 21 in the marginal area ofthe very mould half. The upper protruding supports 81 are arranged, sothat they, when the two mould halves 1 and 17 are placed on top of eachother, are placed exactly above the supports 77 of the lower mould half1, and the two support parts 77 and 81 further suitably have a similarand rectangular cross section, as seen perpendicularly to the largesurfaces of the mould halves.

Different shapes of the support grooves 13, 17 and 21, 82 respectivelyof the lower and upper mould half 1 and 17 respectively appear from thecross sectional views in FIGS. 7a-7 c, which show partial sectionsextending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the grooves,when the mould halves have been applied to each other for moulding theencapsulating material. The grooves can have a rectangular cross sectionas shown in FIG. 7a. Alternatively, the cross section can be a symmetrictrapezium, the sloping sides of which diverge only a little from aperpendicular position according to FIG. 7b. It can be advantageous toalways have the grooves of the upper mould 17 shaped with a flat bottomportion as in FIGS. 7a and 7 b, so that the guide pins 7 can move alittle laterally in order to allow an accurate positioning in relationto a component plate having V-grooves placed in the room, since theguide pins 7 for moulding are pressed in a direction towards the uppermould half. The flat bottom portions should then be placed approximatelyperpendicularly to this compression direction.

For the grooves of the lower mould half, it can, however, be sufficientto design the grooves to have a V-shaped cross section, see FIG. 7c.Such V-grooves can have fairly flatly positioned side surfaces, so thatthe centre angle of the cross section of the grooves considerablyexceeds 50-60°, which is the normal value for other V-grooves, which areused for the accurate positioning of cylindrical bodies, e.g.positioning grooves for a component plate or carrier, see below. Thegrooves can not in any case be so large, that encapsulating materialwill be able to penetrate through the narrow slits next to the guidepins during the moulding. These slits can for instance maximally beallowed to have a largest width of about 20 μm for commonly usedencapsulating materials. The total depth of the grooves of the lowermould half can somewhat exceed the radius of the cylindrical portion ofthe guide pins 7, and the grooves of the upper mould half can have adepth essentially corresponding to this radius. In any case the totaldepth shall, when the grooves of the top and bottom half are placedabove and close to each other, somewhat exceed the diameter of thecylindrical portion of the guide pins 7.

Through the configuration and the positioning of the supports 77 and 81for the guide pins 7, essentially through-holes 109 will be formedduring the embedment of the component plate 5, which pass from one sideof the encapsulated component to the other one. These through-holes 109then also have a rectangular cross section, see the schematicperspective view of an encapsulated optocomponent in FIG. 6. The mouldcavity 19 of the upper mould half 17 has a contour, which essentiallyfollows the contours of the side surfaces of the shoulders 71 extendingperpendicularly from the bottom surface of lower mould cavity 31, seeFIG. 1, and the side surface of the lower mould cavity 3, next to whichthe optical component plate 5 is placed during the moulding operationand where also the flag 53 of the leadframe 51 is placed, when this iscorrectly placed in the mould.

Positioning pins 85 and corresponding holes 87 are arranged on the topsurface of the lower mould half I and on the bottom surface of the uppermould half 17. These positioning pins place the two mould halves 1, 17in a mutually correct position during the moulding process.

An inlet channel 89 is arranged as a groove in the lower mould half 1and extends from that side surface of the mould cavity 3 of this mouldhalf, which is opposite to the side surface, where the guide pins 7enter. The channel 89 connects to a channel 91 having somewhat largercross section dimensions, which extends in parallel to said side surfaceof the mould cavity 3 up to an outer side surface of the lower mouldhalf 1.

Ejector pins, not shown, can enter through holes shown at 93 through thelower mould half 1 up to the bottom therein in order to release, after acompleted encapsulating moulding operation, the whole capsule from thelower mould half I. Also holes 95 through the lower mould half, whichend on the shoulders 71, where the outer contact legs of the leadframerest in the mould cavity 1, are intended for ejectors, not shown.

In manufacturing an encapsulated optocomponent by means of the mouldingtools shown in FIGS. 1-4, the optocomponent plate is hence first placedon the flag 53 of the leadframe 51 by means of a suitable heatconducting adhesive, e.g. some epoxy resin containing a metal fillersuch as silver balls or the like. On the optocomponent plate 5,waveguide elements 94, see FIG. 3, can extend from one edge of theplate, in the preferred case from the front edge, which when theoptoplate 5 is correctly placed in the lower mould cavity 3, is placedquite next to the side surface of this mould cavity 3, where the grooves13 for the guide pins 7 end. The waveguides 94 connect to the veryoptocomponent, shown at 96, which can be an active optical component inthe form of a monolithic unit. The active component unit 96 is by meansof connecting wires, not shown, connected to electrical conductive paths97 on the component plate 5. These conductive paths 97 are thenconnected at their other end to the ends of the contact fingers 55 ofthe leadframe 51 by means of some suitable method, e.g. by soldered orbetter by friction welding bonded connection wires, not shown.

The leadframe 51 having a component plate 5 attached thereto, which isalso electrically connected thereto, is then placed in the lower mouldhalf 1, so that the component plate 5 is placed at that side surface inthe mould cavity 3, where the grooves 13 for the guide pins 7 enter.Further, the inner bridge parts 59, the outer bridge parts 61 and thecontact pins 57 extending between these, the cross bars 65 and 69, andfinally also the wider bridge part 63 rest on the shoulder 71 of thelower mould part 1. Then, the positioning pins 73 are inserted in thecorresponding holes 75 of the leadframe in order to keep it in a correctposition. The leadframe 51 in the shape of a thin metal foil is thenplaced having its top surface located essentially in the same plane asthe top surface of the lower mould half 1.

The guide grooves 9 on the component plate 5 are now essentially alignedwith the support grooves 13 and 79 on the lower mould half oradvantageously somewhat upwards displaced from this position. Hereuponthe guide pins 7 are inserted into the corresponding guide grooves 9 onthe component plate 5, by means of a suitable lateral movement of theirsupport plate into contact with the outer side of the lower mould half1. When the support plate 11 has been moved forward, the guide pins 7then will rest in the guide grooves 9 of the component plate 5 and willalso be placed in the support grooves 79 of the lower projectingsupports 77. If the guide grooves 9 are displaced somewhat upwards inrelation to the guide grooves, the component plate 5 will be elasticallypressed downwards, due to the guide pins 7. Thereafter the upper mouldhalf 17 is attached, so that the guide pins 85 enter the correspondingguide holes in the other mould half 17. The support grooves 21, 82 ofthe upper mould half then fit over the guide pins 7, so that thesepenetrate into the support grooves, and further these grooves press downthe guide pins, so that these obtain an accurate vertical position, asseen in the figures, through contact with the bottom surface of theupper support grooves. The movement of the guide grooves 9 and hereby ofthe component plate 5 is made possible by the resilient suspension ofthe flag 53 by means of the zigzag shaped, narrow bridge parts 67, bymeans of which the flag 53 is connected to the other parts of theleadframe 51. If these bridge parts are constructed from a suitablematerial and of a suitable material thickness, they can also resilientlytend to return the flag to a position in the level of the other part ofthe leadframe 51. This resilient force results in that the optocomponentplate 5 obtains an accurately determined position in relation to theguide pins, due to the interaction of the guide grooves 9 with the guidepins 7.

However, the resilient force obtained from the bridge parts 67 can insome cases be insufficient for the guide grooves of the optocomponentplate 5 to be kept well pressed against the guide pins 7, in particularwhen the injection of an encapsulation material requires a high pressureand/or this material has a high viscosity. In order to obtain thenstronger bias, there is a plunger 27, see in particular FIG. 4, whichinitially is set with its free upper surface at an adjusted height andcomes into contact with the bottom side of the 53 at the placing of theleadframe 51 in the lower mould half, so that the bottom side of theflag 53 is located in essentially the same plane as the bottom side ofthe other parts of the leadframe 51 or so that the flag together withthe optical component plate 5 is pressed upwards a small distance fromthis position. Thereupon, the guide pins 7 are, as above, inserted intothe guide grooves 9 on the component plate 5 by a lateral movement oftheir support plate 11. When the support plate 11 has been movedforward, the guide pins 7 rest in the guide grooves 9 of the componentplate 5 and also in the support grooves 79 of the lower, upwardsprojecting supports 77. Thereupon the upper mould half 17 is, as above,put in its position for moulding. The guide pins 7 are then stilllocated in the guide grooves 9 of the plate 5 and they are finallypositioned and even better retained therein, by the fact that theplunger 27 is released, so that it becomes free to act upwards againstthe flag 53 and press it, together with the component plate 5, stronglyupwards to the guide pins.

The component plate 5 together with the leadframe 51 is now completelyenclosed in a mould cavity formed by the two mould cavities 3 and 19. Ifa plunger 27 is arranged, it presses the flag 53 of the leadframe 51upwards and thereby also the component plate 5, so that the guide pins 7become inserted and very accurately positioned in the guide grooves 9.The guide pins 7 will then, with portions just outside the locations,where their connection to the guide grooves 9 of the component plate 5end, be in engagement with the bottom surface of the upper supportgrooves 21 and 82. The necessary lateral and elevational movement of theoptocomponent plate 5 for positioning its guide grooves 9 against theguide pins 7 is, as has already been pointed out, made possible by thezigzag shaped narrow bridge parts 67, by means of which the flag 53 isconnected to the other parts of the leadframe 51, and which provides arestoring pressing force and contributes in the accurate relativepositioning. Connecting wires between the optocomponent plate 5 and thecontact fingers 55 of the leadframe 55 could be obstructive for movementof the component plate, but these connection wires must be thin andflexible enough to allow the exact relative positioning of the componentplate 5 with its guide grooves 9 well receiving the guide pins 7.

The two mould halves 1 and 17 are clamped together with a requiredcompression force in order not to be separated during the followinginjection of a plastics material. Further, the support plate 11 for theguide pins 7 is clamped hard to the side surfaces of the mould halves.Thereafter, a suitable plastics material is injected through the inletchannel formed by the grooves 91, 89 together with the bottom sidesurface of the upper mould half 17. The injected plastics material ismade to solidify, e.g. is made to harden a suitable time, in the casewhere the injected plastics material is of thermosetting type.

After this, the mould halves 1 and 17 are separated, suitable ejectorsare introduced through the holes 93, 95 and the encapsulated componentis thereby released from the mould halves and in particular from thelower mould half 1. Before this, the guide pins 7 have been extractedfrom the mould cavity 3, 19 by removal of its support plate 11 arrayfrom the mould halves 1 and 17.

Thereafter, the encapsulated component can be released from non-desiredparts of the leadframe 51. This is performed by cutting off the innerand outer bridge parts 59 and 61 respectively on both sides of thecontact legs 57 and also on both sides of the special cross bars 69 atthe edge of the optocomponent. When these parts of the inner and outerbridges 59 and 61 have been removed, only the connection legs 57 henceprotrude from the sides of the capsule, of which only one, such as theone shown at 99, need to have a supporting function. Also the frontsupport pins 69 project from the capsule. These supporting legs 99 and69 respectively remain secured to the capsule, by the fact that theyhave portions 101, see FIGS. 3 and 5, which extend inside the innerbridge part 59, and by the fact that these portions are equipped withanchoring holes 103, in which plastics material can be applied duringthe encapsulation.

Moulding residues can be left in the holes 109, see FIG. 6, from thesupports 77 and 81 for the guide pins 7 and these residues are removedin a suitable manner. Moulding residues in the holes 107 from the guidepins 7 can then easily by pressed out through the first mentioned holes109. The front edge of the optocapsule, where the holes 107corresponding to the guide pins 7 end and also where the ends of thewaveguides 93 are placed, are then polished, so that these ends of thewaveguides are exposed in order to be capable of connection with acorrespondingly designed optical component unit or an optical connectordevice having holes for guide pins, and having outer optical connectorsurfaces placed between the mouths of the holes. Further, the plunger 27leaves a cylindric hole 112 in the under side of the encapsulatedcomponent, which hole extends up to the bottom side of the flag 53 ofthe leadframe 51 or in the case the flag itself has a hole, up to thebottom side of the embedded component plate 5 itself. This hole 112 canbe used for, for instance thermal dissipation from the component plate.

The encapsulated optocomponent 105 then has the general shape as shownin a perspective view in FIG. 6, the capsule 105 having the shape of arectangular block or a rectangular plate having large top and bottomsurfaces. Holes 107 for the guide pins extend from a front side of thecapsule 105 up to rectangular through-holes 109. These holes extend fromone of the large surfaces of the capsule 105 to its other large surface,perpendicularly to them. Between the mouths of the holes 107 in the sidesurface of the capsule 105, end surfaces 110 of the waveguides 93accessible from the outside are located, for coupling optical signals toanother encapsulated component or another optical connector devicehaving connections of the same shape.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing an encapsulatedoptocomponent by embedding the optocomponent in an encapsulatingmaterial, comprising the steps of: producing the optocomponentcomprising a surface having guide, grooves thereon and furthercomprising a second surface, which is opposite to the first, attachingthe optocomponent to a flag in a leadframe, placing guide pins in anopened mould cavity of a mould, placing the leadframe having a, saidoptocomponent in the open mould cavity of the mould, so that the guidepins engage with the guide grooves, closing the mould cavity of themould, whereby the guide pins and the optocomponent become located inrelation to each other and the leadframe is retained in the mouldcavity, so that an elastic force originating from the lead frame isapplied to the optocomponent, so that it is pressed against the guidepins, inserting the encapsulating material into the closed mould cavityand allowing the material to solidify, opening the mould cavity, pullingthe guide pins out and removing the moulded body from the mould cavity.2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the elastic force is obtainedby the fact that the flag is attached to the other part of the leadframethrough bridge parts, which can be elastically extended.
 3. The methodof claim 1, further comprising the step of producing said leadframehaving a flag connected to the rest of the leadframe through bridgeparts allowing at least a movement of the flag in the plane of theleadframe.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein, in the step of producingthe leadframe, the bridge parts are given a zigzag shape.